Princess of Wales Marks Ten Years as Patron of Action for Children
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is marking ten years as Patron of Action for Children in 2026. The children's charity has shared exclusive photographs and reflections from the decade with HELLO! magazine to mark the anniversary.
A patron is someone who lends their name and public profile to a charity, usually for a long period. The role passed to the Princess in 2016 from Queen Elizabeth II. HELLO! reports that the late Queen had held the post for 50 years. The charity's own website dates the Princess's role as its Royal Patron to December 2016.
Her first engagement in the role came in 2017. She visited the Torfaen Multi-disciplinary Intervention Service and the Caerphilly Family Intervention Team in South Wales, two services that work with families in difficulty. At the time, a spokesperson said she was "incredibly proud" to be following in the late Queen's footsteps as the charity's patron.
The most recent engagement reported is a February 2025 visit to the charity's Mother and Baby Unit at HMP Styal, a women's prison in Cheshire. The unit lets mothers and babies live together while the mother serves her sentence, with support from the charity.
Away from visits, the Princess has also used her position to bring the charity's community into royal events. Over the past decade, she has invited children, families, staff and volunteers linked to Action for Children to Royal Garden Parties, the summer gatherings held in the grounds of royal palaces. She has also invited them to the annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.
A charity blog about its Secret Santa volunteer group describes the group performing at the Princess's "Together at Christmas" carol event. The Secret Santa scheme, which the blog marks as eight years old, is run by volunteers who help make Christmas happen for families the charity supports.
The anniversary pieces are built around the people the charity works with. The photographs HELLO! published come from the charity itself, and the magazine presents them as exclusive to its readers.
For readers new to royal patronage, the role is largely a matter of public support. Patrons attend events, lend their name to appeals, and bring attention to the work of the organisation. The Princess's ten years in the role are now marked with a set of images and a record of her visits, invitations and carol services.
